Instant Pot Mongolian Beef Recipe

We love making Instant Pot Mongolian Beef Recipe when we’re craving our favorite Chinese dishes.  The flavors in this meal are delicious. Making it in the Instant Pot will get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.  

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef Recipe:

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef Recipe is a quick and easy meal idea thanks to the pressure cooker. This Asian inspired dish is a family favorite. Loaded with tender beef that is cooked in a delicious sauce.

If your family loves Chinese takeout, then this is the meal to make. The instant pot does all the work and dinner is done in less time then waiting on your takeout to arrive.

The next time you need a quick and easy meal, make this Mongolian Beef Recipe. It is loaded with flavor and the ingredients are simple.

What is Mongolian Beef?

Mongolian Beef is a dish in Taiwan that is made with steak strips and onions. The flank steak is cooked with soy sauce, brown sugar and ginger glaze. Which makes it pair well with rice and vegetables

Ingredients

• Flank Steak
• Cornstarch
• Minced Garlic
• Soy Sauce
• Water
• Brown Sugar
• Shredded Carrots
• Green Onions and Sesame Seeds (garnish)

How to Make Mongolian Beef in the Instant Pot:

• Step 1 – Prepare the Meat – Slice flank steak into thin strips.
• Step 2 – Coat the Steak – In a zip lock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat until the meat is thoroughly covered.
• Step 3 – Add Beef to Instant Pot – Next you add to the corn starch coated meat to the pressure cooker. Add all the other ingredients to on top and stir them together to combine.
• Step 4 – Close the Lid – Add the lid and set the valve to sealing.
• Step 5 – Cook on High Pressure – Set the pressure to high for 8 minutes.
• Step 6 – Natural Release – When finished allow it to do a natural release for 10 minutes.
• Step 7 – Quick Release – Then do a quick release to release the rest of the pressure.
• Step 8 – Serve and Enjoy – Stir and serve over rice. A delicious weeknight meal in less than 20 minutes.

Substitutions and Additions:

• Steak Variations – We usually prepare this dish with Flak Steak, but you can also use round steak or skirt steak.  One time I used stew meat in this recipe and it worked out great as well.
• Chicken Option – If you do not prefer red meat, you can also make this with chicken instead.  Follow the same process and slice the chicken breasts or thighs to make a delicious instant pot Mongolian chicken meal.  
• Substitute Soy Sauce – If you have a gluten allergy, coconut aminos can be used instead of the soy sauce. Coconut Aminos still has that great soy sauce taste but is a gluten free product.  
• Vegetables – Add in vegetables to this instant pot for a complete meal idea. We recommend sliced mushrooms, bell peppers or broccoli.
• Red Pepper Flakes – For added flavor, add in a teaspoon or more of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

What is the difference between a quick release and a natural release on a pressure cooker?

There are 2 different ways to release pressure in an Instant Pot.  There is the quick release process and the natural release way.

For a quick release, once the pressure cooking time is completed. You switch the value on the lid from the sealing option to the venting option.  This causes steam to be released from the pressure cooker immediately. The steam will shoot through this value to release the pressure in the Instant Pot.

In order to do a natural release, you wait and do not move the value on the top of the lid.  After the cook time, I set another timer for the natural release time. Do not touch the pressure cooker during this time.

Once this natural release time has completed, I move the value on the top of the lid to the venting option. This does a quick pressure release for the remaining pressure in the pressure cooker.

What to Serve with Mongolian Beef?

• Roasted Broccoli – I usually serve this easy instant pot Mongolian beef over rice with steam broccoli.  Here is a great and simple recipe for how to make brown rice in the pressure cooker.  You’ll never cook rice on the stove top again after using the Instant Pot.
• Steamed Broccoli – I love steaming broccoli in the microwave. As it makes a delicious side dish that my entire family loves in very little time.  You all know that I love quick and easy recipes.
• Roasted Asparagus. If you love asparagus as much as I do, I recommend that you try this oven roasted parmesan asparagus recipe.  It’s ready in less than 15 minutes and tastes amazing.  This simple recipe tastes great with this instant pot Mongolian beef flank steak meal.

Can I Make Mongolian Beef in the Slow Cooker?

Yes, I love making this dish in the slow cooker. All the ingredients are added to the slow cooker and it is ready in less than 3 hours on low. If you are home for lunch, dump the ingredients in the slow cooker.

What is the Best Beef for this Recipe?

We like using Flank Steak for this Mongolian Beef Recipe. We thinly slice the beef to create a tender steak recipe. But you can also use these other options.

• Stew Meat
• Skirt Steak
• Top Round Beef

How to Thicken a Sauce:

Once the recipe is completed, you can thicken the sauce easily if it’s not as thick as you would prefer.  I prefer to thicken my sauces with a cornstarch slurry.

• In order to make this cornstarch slurry, I mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with approximately ½ cup of  cold water.  It’s important that the water is cold as cornstarch will clump immediately if mixed with warm water.
• When then corn starch is fully dissolved in the cold water. Change your setting on your Instant Pot to the sauté option.
• Next, slowly stir in your corn starch slurry with your instant pot Mongolian beef and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes.  The sauce will thicken as it continues to cook on this feature.  

How to Store Pressure Cooker Mongolian Beef:

Store your leftovers in an air tight container for up to 4 days. We love having this leftover as the soy sauce glaze marinates in the beef overnight. This creates a delicious lunch the next day.

Can you Freeze Mongolian beef?

I love cooking once and eating twice.  It’s my goal anytime I cook in the kitchen and freezing cooking makes this so easy to do.

There are 2 options if you are wanting to freeze this Instant Pot Mongolian beef recipe.  

• Freeze Uncooke. The first option it that you can put the ingredients that go into the pressure cooker in a freezer bag.  You can freeze these items and then get them out when you’re ready to prepare this meal.
• Cook Frozen – You can put the entire contents of the bag in the instant pot frozen. It will be turned into a great meal in no time at all.
• Freezing Leftovers – The second freezing option is to make a double batch of this recipe and freeze the left overs.  The frozen leftovers can be heated up on the stove top for a second meal for your family.

Print Mongolian Beef Instant Pot Recipe:

More Instant Pot beef Recipes:

• Instant Pot Beef Brisket Recipe
• Instant Pot Beef Curry Recipe
• Instant Pot Pepper Steak